Posts made by GeorgeB

@Dr-Mark said in Range Improvement:

@Dr-GO said in Range Improvement:

In this case, Dr. Mark.... You need more practice!

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You sure got that right. Heck, I was with her just last night and she leaned over and said, "kiss me where it stinks" so I took her to Tampa. Man was she pissed. I'm still trying to figure out what I did wrong!

You two doctors are a riot.

In reading JorgePD's post his comeback after 40 years and not being able to play an A above the staff after a year, I realized I must have done the right thing in my comeback after 50 years.

What I did was learn to play the trumpet all over again, using the trumpet tutorial book my teacher recommended back in 1953: The Everette James Trumpet/Cornet Tutorial. Yep, Everette is Harry's dad. The book is a little tattered today but it did the job for me back then and did the job for me again in 2016. I don't recall exactly how long it took me to get to a daily high C but I do know it wasn't much more than 3 months. The tutorial triggered the memories of what I had learned about technique, style and the rest of that stuff, and all the exercises and etudes, got me on the right track. I started my comeback in March of 2016 and was playing with the local Seniors Horizons band by September when they started their Fall/ winter term. The second year back I took a few lessons with a local teacher who helped me find the correct mouthpiece because that was my biggest problem. I was probably lucky in getting started again on my own, but there did come that time when professional help was needed. So I am glad to hear that JorgePD got that pro help he needed.

@Dr-GO said in DUH!! I finally figured it out, after all these years! (playing with minimal pressure):

@ButchA said in DUH!! I finally figured it out, after all these years! (playing with minimal pressure):

I played a gig tonight (6:00 - 8:00) at a local pub here in town, as a prelude to the annual Oktoberfest... a simple adjustment to my embouchure!

I can see the frown!

Me, too, Butch ! Good for you in finding the frown.
Now I usually get that look when I see a bunch of As and Bs ahead of me...

@Dr-Mark said in Range Improvement:

@Dr-GO said in Range Improvement:

Careful Dr. Mark. Don't EVER achieve perfection. That, my good friend, will hold you back. Yes?

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No.
Haven't you had a time when you were practicing and play something so great you get goosebumps and you have to sit your horn down and say to yourself, "That's perfect!"
It might be a couple of measures or a small musical statement but for some reason the stars align and what was played was perfect.

Yes, and I treasure those moments, but they are rare .

@Dr-GO

That was really cool, Doc. I liked the smooth transition to unmuted near the end. What kind of mute were you using. It sounded somewhat metallic.

@SSmith1226

It's a slow come back, but I'm getting there.

@SSmith1226

FANTASTIC ! LOVE IT ! LOVE IT !!!!!!!

@Dr-Mark said in Thoughts about mouthpiece placement:

@Tobylou8
Damned! Is that a peanut allergy!?! Kinda looks like two bottom feeders.

Ha, ha, I just fell out of my chair laughing...

Yeah, that was an eye-opening analysis of music PERIOD.

@J-Jericho

Very nice. I always liked Kaempfert's orchestra and have a few LPs in my record collection. My favorite has always been Wonderland By Night, a piece I love to play on the trumpet.

@Kehaulani said in Alpert's California Blues:
All due respect, but he sounds like a school kid to me.

I'm 83 and Herb's 84. I can't speak for him, but I'd be happy as hell if I could play like a school kid...

I always had a soft spot for Alpert and his TJB, but I kinda like how he sounds at 84, :

@Comeback
Hitting the high notes was okay on the TR300. Pitch was the main problem.
The 1st and 3rd slides always worked fine on mine. I think for student models you have to expect some inconsistencies in manufacturing.
I don't anything about Getzen student horns but I have heard they are pretty good.

MUSIC = JOY !

A thousand times yes. I can't imagine what life would be like without it.

@Comeback

When I quit playing in 1965 I sold the trumpet I had played for the previous 12 years, A Constellation 28B. So when I decided to play again 50 years later I bought a new Bach TR300H2 and it was quite a good horn, but wanting some when playing above the staff. I kept it and played it off and on until a band mate wanted to buy it from me. He had an old Besson that had a lot of troubles. Now he is doing just great with the Bach student horn.

I know of one case where a senior female, who recently joined our band, was still struggling to get above third space C after two years of playing the trumpet. She was using a piece of garbage she had bought at a pawn shop. I don't know how many times I told her the horn was holding her back, but she's a stubbon gal and stuck with it until a brace let go. She replaced it with a new Bach student horn and now she is progressing quite well. She even told me she actually managed a G above the staff recently.

New student horns are reasonably priced so unless you know what to look for, it may not be a good idea to buy used.

@BigDub

W O W !!!!

@Dr-Mark

Thanks, Dr-Mark. I'll be spending some time with this video.

@ButchA
Sorry to hear about your problems, Butch. With this last injury I thought that I may have to switch to Baritone horn. Thankfully, the trumpet is still my baby. Take care, buddy.

@Dr-Mark
Ah, such wise words. And you're only a youngster yet...

@Dr-Mark
I appreciate your cautionary words, Dr-Mark. At practice last night I would skip pieces because I could feel the lips tiring. At home I take lots of rest periods during my practice sessions. I had the hell scared out of me with this injury. At 83 I don't know how many years I have left, but I want to be a player for many more and I don't want the playing to stop because of a stupid injury.